Fastener device



1951 c. HALL 2,564,643

' FASTENER DEVICE Filed July 23, 1946 (15/0 2-3 L. HaZZ.

m Ami a Patented Aug. 14 1951 UNITEDLS'TATES PATENT OFFICE I FASTENER DEVICE Charles L. Hall, Detroit, Iassignor to United-Carr- Fastener Corporation, Cambridge, Mass., a corporation of'Massachusetts I Application July 23, 1946, Serial No. 685,613

1 Claim. (01. 85-5) This invention relates to improvements in fastener members of the type illustrated in United States Patent No. 2,229,996, issued January 28, 1941 to Wilmer H. Churchill.

This form of adjustable fastener is adapted particularl for securing a part such as the floor or dash mat of an automobile to the automobile body. When in use in such an installation the outermost ends of the legs of the fasteners project through the body into the engine section. It has been found that mechanics working under the hood have come into contact with these fasteners and been scratched by the relatively sharp free ends of the fastener legs. Consequently, one of the objects of my present invention is to provide a blunt portion at the free ends of the fastener legs which will operate as a shield to prevent injurious contact with said' ends.

Other objects and uses of my invention will be apparent from inspection of the drawing and specification hereinbelow set forth.

Referring to the drawing in which I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention:

Fig. 1 is a section through an installation of my improved fastener;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of my improved fastener;

Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the fastener illustrated in Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a section taken along the line 44 of Fig. 2.

Referring to Fig. 1 in which I have illustrated a preferred use of my invention, I have shown a part, such as a floor mat, which may comprise an outer panel I and an insulating panel 2 which is secured to the support 3, which may be the dash liner of the automobile, by means of the fastener member- 4. The mat is disposed in superposed relation to the support 3 and the parts I and 2 have respective aligned openings 5 and 6 in line with an opening I of the support 3.

The particular fastener illustrated is formed from a single piece of metal and has a base 8 (Fig. 4) and a shank 9 formed of a pair of opposed narrow yieldable legs III and II. Series of teeth I2 extend from each of the legs I0 and I I for ratchet engagement with the support 3, as will be understood by those skilled in the art. The base 8 in my preferred form comprises a substantially flat portion I3 having portions I4-I4 integral with its opposed ends and bent underneath the portion I3. The legs Ill and II extend from the innermost ends of the portions I l-l4.- and project outwardly in substantially normal relation to the general plane of the base with the inner broad surfaces in facing relation, as most clearly shown in Fig. 4. The legs II] and II in my preferred form diverge from the inwardly extending portions I4-I4 and then converge toward the end of the shank 9 away from the base 8.

At the outermost end of the leg I I I have provided a shield in the form of a cupped element I5 which extends laterally from the outer end of the leg I I in the direction of the cooperating leg III in a general plane which is normal to that of the shank 9. The cupped element I5 extends beneath and beyond the outermost end I6 of the leg I0 and is so arranged with respect to the outer end I6 of the leg II] that the end I6'is disposed within the hollow of the cupped element thereby completely shielding the end I6. The lower surface I! of the element I5 which is convex in shape effects a blunt end or shield at the outer end of the shank 9 which serves to prevent contact by an individual working in the vicinity of the fastener with the relatively sharp end I6.

In assembling the parts of the installation the shank 9 of the fastener is moved through the aligned openings 5, 6 and I of the parts to be secured. During this action the legs I0 and II are compressed until the fastener has been extended a desired distance along its length at which time the legs expand to engage the shoulders I8 of the teeth I2 behind the lower surface I9 of the panel 3. Thus the floor mat is held in place between the base 8 of the fastener and the shoulders I8 of the teeth elements. When the fastener is in final assembled position a substantial portion of the length of the shank 9 will, in most instances, extend beyond the lower surface I9 of the support 3, as illustrated in Fig. 1. As previously described, however, the cupped element I5 acts as a shield to prevent contact with the end It of the fastener leg III and in addition serves to blunt the outermost end of the leg II to which it is joined. If desired, a cap 29 may be applied to the base 8 so as to give a finished appearance to the fastener on the inner side of the automobile.

Although I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, I do not wish to be limited thereby, because the scope of my invention is best defined by the following claim.

I claim:

A fastener having a head and a shank disposed normal to said head, said shank compris- 3 ing opposed leg portions extending from said head, said legs being formed from relatively thin metal and being many times greater in width than in thickness with their widest faces being substantially flat and disposed in opposed spaced apart relationship for the greater portions of their lengths for yieldable movement toward each other,=.aisemi-sphericalcup shapedmember extending laterally "from the outer end of one of said legs toward the other leg and having a convexly curved bottom providing a smooth rounded end for said shank and a cavity opening inwardly of said rounded end, the other said leg having its end away from:said:head'inclined inwardly and loosely confined within said cavity, each of said legs having a series of teeth'exten'ding outwardly beyond the plane -of said leg.for engagement with the walls of an aperture in which such fastener may be inserted, said "teeth extending beyond the general rectangular mar- ;gin of :said shankas defined by a cross-section through said bowed legs, and said cup-shaped element being contained within said rectangular margin.

CHARLES L. HALL.

REFERENCES CITED Number Name Date 381,513 Twitchell May 17, 1888 1,056,452 Remhilt Mar. 18, 1913 1,400,409 Board Dec. 13, 1921 2,110,959 Lombard Mar. 15, 1938 2,137,210 :Lombard Nov. 15, 1938 2,142,429 Wiley Jan. 3, 1939 2,208,878 "Wiley July 23, 1940 3,229,996 Churchill Jan. 28, 1941 2,268,873 Place Dec. 30, 1941 2,391,298 Davis -1--. Dec. 18, 1945 

